Kalimpong - India HillTop Trips - Splendid hills and Majestic retreats

Kalimpong is one among the many popular hill stations in India that has managed to keep its natural beauty even though it is a popular summer retreat for many people. The hill station not only boasts of many tourist attractions but is also known for the exotic orchids that cover entire hillsides. Hill Resorts in India offers attractive tour packages to this heavenly hill resort, so you can simply book a tour today and spend a great vacation in Kalimpong.

Hill Resort | Elevation | Travel | Season | Tourist places | Accommodation | Location | Kalimpong Map

The Hill Resort

West Bengal, Kalimpong also called the garden of flowers is located at 4000 Ft/1250 mtr above the sea level. Kalimpong a part of West Bengal, with its rich culture and religious heritage, the fascinating scenic beauty and wonderful flora and fauna has got immense tourist potential. The first thing that strikes the traveler visiting Kalimpong is its quiet atmosphere. The peaceful ambience that pervades is heightened by the presence of monasteries and churches across the town. Kalimpong is also known for its bustling bazaars and traditional handicrafts. It is famous for its orchids and nurseries. Kalimpong offers panoramic view of the great Himalayan ranges that lie beyond it. Along with the viewpoints sightseeing in Kalimpong includes Dr. Graham's Home, Tibetan monasteries, Gouripur house, Durpin Hill, Kalimpong Market and Haat Bazaar or local market on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

There are a number of places of tourist interest in Kalimpong. Kalimpong has three important gompas or monasteries: the Tharpa Choeling Gompa, the Tongsa Gompa and Zong Dog Palri Fo-Brang Gompa. The Tharpa Choeling Gompa was established in 1922 and belongs to the Yellow Hat (Gelukpa) sect of Tibetan Buddhism. His Highness the Dalai Lama also belongs to this sect, which was founded in the 14th century in Tibet. The Tongsa Gompa is located near the Tharpa Choeling Gompa. It is the oldest monastery in Kalimpong and was founded in 1692. The present building is constructed over the ruins of the original monastery, which was raised by the Gurkhas, in the pre-British era. The Zong Dog Palri Fo-Brang Gompa was built in the mid-1970s on Durpin Hill and is located 5 km south from the town center. It was consecrated by His Highness the Dalai Lama. This monastery is famous for its traditional Tibetan wall paintings.

Kalimpong is an important flower producing center and it produces 80% of the total gladioli produced in India. There are numerous nurseries in Kalimpong, which excel in production of orchids. Travelers can visit some important nurseries across the town and look at their collection of flowers, orchids and cacti.

History

Till 18th Century Kalimpong was under the rule of Sikkimese rulers. Then it came under the command of the Bhutanese. Finally, in the 19th Century, the British took over Kalimpong and merged it with West Bengal.

The Past

The etymology of Kalimpong has several interpretations. According to one view, Kalimpong means a place where tribesmen gather and organize traditional tribal games. The second view suggests that the name has been derived from a place in Bhutan. A third interpretation is that Kalimpong is named after Kaulim, a fibrous plant found in abundance in this region.

Until the 18th century ad, Kalimpong was a part of the Kingdom of Sikkim and was ruled by Sikkimese rulers. It was then taken over by the Bhutanese. In the 19th century, the British took over Kalimpong and merged into the present Indian state of West Bengal.

Shopping

If you want to shop, head to the Main road, the 10th Mile Market or the Raja dorje Market. You can buy handicrafts, souvenirs, jewelry, and woodwork. At the kalimpong Arts and Crafts center, you can get authentic Lepcha and Bhutanese embroidered work on clothing and purses. You can also get some fresh ginger and honey for yourself, but before you leave do not forget to try the famous Cheese in Kalimpong.

Adventure Sports

If you really love adventure sports, then this is the perfect place to come for your holidays. You can enjoy white river rafting on Teesta River. Trekking is another outdoor activity you can enjoy. Te place is so beautiful that it is a very good way of seeing wonderful places around the hill station.

Fairs And Festivals

Kalimpong hosts an annual flower festival in the month of October.

Cuisine

The blending of different cultures has left a mark on the cuisine of Kalimpong. The influence of the Jesuits is evident from the local Kalimpong cheese and Kalimpong lollipops, which are a specialty of this town. Kalimpong is known for its Nepalese cuisine and Tibetan dishes. Gundruk, a popular Nepali dish, is very popular, so are the mouthwatering Tibetan momos and thoopa.

Elevation

Kalimpong - 1250 m

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Location Details

Kalimpong is located in the northern part of the state of West Bengal, in the northeastern region of India. It is adjacent to the state of Sikkim and near the Teesta River. It is set amongst the foothills of the mighty Himalayas at an altitude of 1250 m above sea level. Kalimpong is 50 km from Darjeeling and 80 km from Gangtok.

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How to Reach There and Distances

The nearest airport is at Bagdogra and the nearest railhead at Siliguri. The main bus and jeep station is located on Ongden Road. There is jeep service between Kalimpong and Darjeeling (3 hours). However, bus service between these two towns is not so good. Buses and jeeps can be taken to go to Siliguri (3 hours). There are few buses to Gangtok and Bagdogra. From the Indian Airlines Office (Ph: 55241), located on the Main Road, travelers can book tickets for Indian Airlines flights scheduled from Bagdogra. Travelers can also book tickets for Royal Nepal Airlines flights scheduled from Bagdogra.

Air

The nearest airport is Bagdogra, 80 kms from Kalimpong.

Rail

The nearest railway stations are Siliguri Junction (70 km) & New Jalpaiguri (80 km) Railway Station.

Road

Kalimpong is connected to Darjeeling (50 km), Siliguri (70 km) and Gangtok (80 km) by road through buses, jeeps and private taxis.

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Best Season to Visit/Weather

Summers (April-June) are mild and winters are cold (November-February). It experiences southwestern monsoon rains in July-September.

The weather in Kalimpong is alpine.

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Tourist places near Kalimpong

Other places to visit in Kalimpong include the Sericulture Research Institute, Dr Graham's Home and the adjoining chapel (located on the slopes of Deolo Hill), and the Nature Interpretation Center (located on Rinkingpong road).

Dr. Graham' s Homes school which was founded by Dr. John Anderson Grahman in 1900 is one of the main attrctions of Kalimpong.. This has been built on the slopes of Delo Hill,approximately three kilometers away from the town.Visitors who wants to witness a bird' s eye view of the picturesque place has to go to Durpin Dara, an observatory point at hill top, from where he or she can get an overall view of the mighty Himalayan ranges.There are numbers of monasteries in this area, among them the Pedong monastery and Thongsha Gompa are the oldest and mostly known.. Another monastery is the Tharpa Choling Monastery which has been constructed in 1937 by the Yellow Hat sect , is situated at Tirpai Hill at a distance of arround two kilometers from Kalimpong.

While on your tour of Kalimpong, you may visit the Thongsa Gompa, also known as the Bhutanese Monastery. It is the oldest monastery in Kalimpong and was founded in the year 1692. Though the old structure was destroyed by the Gorkhas, it was rebuilt on the same site.

You can also visit the Zong Dog Palri Fo-Brang Gompa, which is on the Durpin hill and is famous for the Tibetan wall paintings, which attract a lot of tourists. It also has a religious debating society along with a school of Tibetan medicine.

There is also the Tharpa Choeling Monastery that was founded in 1937 and belongs to the Gelugpa (yellow hat) sect of Tibetan monastery. This Monastery houses many old scriptures and literary works.

While in Kalimpong, you can also take a tour to the Sericulture Research Institute, which breeds silk worms and produces high quality silk. There are also other various herbs and plants at the institute. If you like many others, feel the need for protecting the environment and global warming worries you, then head to the Nature Interpretation Center. There you can take a look at the dioramas that depict the ill effects of Man's disregard for Nature. If you are really fond of flowers, orchids in particular, then you can visit numerous nurseries in Kalimpong.

Kalimpong is very famous for its flower production and apparently it produces 80 percent of the total gladioli that is produced in India.

Sites Nearby

Teesta Bazaar, located 16 km from Kalimpong, is an important place for whitewater rafting. The rafting season is between mid-November to mid-February. The small village of Lava, located at 2,353 m above sea level and about 30 km east of Kalimpong, is an important place to visit. Kagyupa Gompa is located here.

The village of Kaffer, located at 1555 m above sea level, is beyond Lava and one can have magnificent view of the summit of Kanchenjunga from here. The Samco Ropeway across the Teesta River, on the main Siliguri-Gangtok road is an important attraction near Kalimpong. One has to take a bus for Siliguri from Kalimpong in order to visit this ropeway en route.

From Kalimpong it is possible to go to visit Phuntsholing across the Bhutanese border, without a visa.

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